Hiking in the heart of Gran Canaria

As you leave Gran Canaria's north coast behind, the landscape opens up around Gáldar and the lush Agaete valley. Here awaits a true oasis with banana and pineapple plantations, white villages, exotic palm trees and colorful bougainvillea. This is where your hike into Gran Canaria's lesser-known mountain world begins. Deep ravines cut through the landscape down towards the Atlantic, and just as is often the case on the northern sides of the Canary Islands, the nature is surprisingly green and lush.

Higher up, plateaus, flower meadows, laurel trees and Canary pine take over. Terraced cultivations climb along the slopes with almond trees, avocado and prickly pear cactus. In the island's dramatic center, Roque Nublo and Roque Bentayga rise above the ravines – mighty rock formations that were significant sites for Gran Canaria's indigenous population long before the Spanish conquest. Welcome to a Gran Canaria far from the beaches and tourist resorts – green, mountainous, surprisingly wild and a paradise for winter hiking.